How to Break Down
the Strongholds of the Devil

What is a Stronghold?

Traditionally, a stronghold is a fortified structure or location designed to resist the assault of invading forces. An army invading enemy territory must take down the strongholds to hold the land. If the enemy’s strongholds remain, they will become a continual threat to the army and citizens of the land.

In military strategy, a stronghold is always established in a place previously established as a fortification of strength. Rather than building a garrison at the bottom of a floodplain, military strategists construct strongholds on the highest hill or at the mouth of a bay—each of which is already an advantage point. Likewise, Satan often targets our natural strengths to position his strongholds.

There is a very simple reason for this. As human beings, we are conscientiously aware of our weaknesses and flaws, so we keep a close watch on them, which makes it more difficult for Satan to use the element of surprise. But not so with our strong points. Where we perceive ourselves as strong and impermeable, we tend to relax on that particular point (see 1 Cor. 10:12,13). Overconfidence is always just a step away, permitting Satan to move into that space with greater autonomy.

As Scripture followers, we must understand that we are engaged in physical and spiritual warfare.  We have an adversary, and he is described as “going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. This adversary is none other than the devil/Satan and his demonic fallen messengers (angels). He desires nothing more than to steal, kill, and destroy all of those who seek righteousness and obedience to Yahuah and Yahusha, the Messiah. Being wise to Satan’s agenda should prompt us to be ever vigilant and on our guard, with eyes of discernment, ready to thwart his attacks without a moment’s notice.  In order to use the correct weapon, we must recognize when the enemy is attacking and what his strongholds are in our lives.

Satanic strongholds are mindsets that “yoke or join” us together with false doctrines and teachings and unhealthy thought patterns such as pride, jealousy, or demonism through the forms of rebellion and witchcraft.  These will bring terrible grief, sorrow, and unhappiness into our lives, robbing us of the freedom we can have through Yahusha, the Messiah.

Signs to Look For

How do we know when we are faced with a stronghold, yoke, bondage, or curse? They reveal themselves through our words and lifestyles:

• We are constantly critical of everyone and everything.
• We minimize or negate true or positive things said about us by others.
• We hide our bad habits.
• Certain thoughts fill us with shame, guilt, or condemnation.
• A particular behavior worsens over time.
• Our impulses and desires drive us.
• We are unwilling to give up particular mindsets (not founded on truth in Scripture) because we find security and protection in conforming to a popular belief. They are familiar to us, and we blindly believe there is “truth” in them.

Strongholds, yokes, bondage, and curses can vary from minor to moderate to severe. Extreme forms include mindsets that greatly hinder us spiritually, socially, or physically, such as addiction. Moderate strongholds may limit our fulfillment in life, yet we can still function effectively. For example, if we believe that poverty equates to pious humility, we may give away all our money. Minor thoughts, such as the need to protect ourselves by lying, can be eradicated through conviction from Yahuah, leading to our confession and repentance. Curses will have the same effect but have come from an outside source in a proactive attack against you.  For example, in the case of spiritual blindness, it will cause you to neither hear nor see the truth until you break the curse by asking Yahusha haMashiach directly to “open your eyes that you may see.”

Overview of Satan’s Strongholds

This is a list of demonic strongholds (bold red type) with their related symptoms below. Place a checkmark next to any symptom habitually present in your life.  (This chart is in part from www.restorationministries.org.)

Download this Printable Chart

Yahusha’s Divine Arsenal of Weapons

The only way to be prepared is to be knowledgeable of the weapons that have been provided. The Divine weapons provided were specially designed so that you may triumph over the enemy.  This is not a one-time event but an ongoing one, and your success rate will grow with practice.  But the reward at the end outweighs the battles along the way, as through this process alone, we lay hold of and partner with Yahuah Alahim and Yahusha haMashiach (the Messiah) unto Eternal Life.

1. The first foundational weapon. There are many today who are experiencing failure in their lives as they try to wage war against the devil without the power of the Ruach (power, presence and promise of Yahuah). The problem is, it doesn’t matter how much olive oil is purchased and prayed over, without the power of His Ruach active in your life, you lack the main ingredient that’s needed to engage in spiritual warfare.

   Acts 1:8 declares, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Ruach is come upon you.” Yes, you must be baptized with the Ruach if you expect to be any threat against your opponent. For Yahuah’s power is the only thing that the devil recognizes for it is the only power capable of defeating him and bringing him under subjection. This point cannot be overemphasized because many people are putting their trust in books on spiritual warfare, containers of oil, special cloths and prayer handkerchiefs when they only need to ask Yahuah for the baptism of His Ruach. Scripture declares that our Eternal Father gives His Ruach to those who ask.

2. The second foundational weapon.  Yahusha the Messiah declared that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahuah.” He gave us this principle that we may know that the Word of Yahuah, the sacred Scriptures are vitally important if we are to be overcomers and be triumphant unto Eternal Life.

   So many want to bypass the Scriptures and put their trust in man or their own resources, but the Apostle Paul lets us know that the Word of Yahuah is the “sword of His Ruach.” There is no greater offensive weapon than the SWORD OF HIS WORD.  So, if we are to be armed, properly, we have to learn to study and stand on the kadosh (holy), infallible, Word of Yahuah that we may be wise and knowledgeable with using this most powerful sword of swords.

   Yahusha declares in Matthew 22:29 that “you do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of Yahuah.” Many are duped and deceived by the devil because they fail to consult the Scriptures, instead they lean on man to tell them what they should and should not believe; however the Word of Yahuah teaches us to “study and to shew ourselves approved unto Yahuah rightly dividing the word of truth.”

3. The last foundational weapon that should be in our arsenal is our TRUST in YAHUAH. A person may do many things right, but if that person fails to put their trust in Yahuah and His Son, Yahusha haMashiach (the Messiah) for their lives, it will be for nothing. The Apostle Paul encourages us to “fight the good fight of trust,” because He knew that the adversary would attempt to cause us to lose our TRUST IN YAHUAH due to bad or adverse situations. Many of us would love for our lives to go perfectly without any problems, but the truth is that life happens to all of us. Man that is born of a woman is of a few days and those days are full of trouble, so it takes our deliberate TRUST IN YAHUAH for the continual direction of our lives knowing that all things work together for our good, and ultimately for Yahuah and Yahusha’s honor and majesty.

1. Paul, in the book of Ephesians, puts the weapons of our warfare succinctly into a pictorial description of a soldier putting on each piece of armor and then goes on to explain each weapon’s superpower:

• Stand with your loins girded with the BELT OF TRUTH.
• Put on the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
• Put on SHOES for the preparation of the GOOD NEWS OF PEACE.
• Above all, take the SHIELD OF TRUST to quench the darts of the wicked.
• And receive the HELMET OF SALVATION.

• And receive the SWORD OF THE RUACH, the WORD OF YAHUAH.  Ephesians 6:14-17

These six pieces of armor can be divided into two categories. The shoes and sword are offensive weapons, while the breastplate, shield, and helmet are defensive weapons. The belt remains neutral.

These offensive weapons and the equally important defensive armor, carefully applied and used skillfully, will make you a skillful conqueror and SUPERHERO under the power of YAHUAH to pull down strongholds that the enemy may have built in your life. Isaiah 54:17 proclaims, “No weapon formed against Him shall prosper.” By using these mighty weapons, we can be more than a conqueror in our Messiah, who paid it all that our confessed sins will be destroyed forever, never more to be brought to mind.  He took upon Himself our penalty and wages for sin, the death that we deserved, yet freely and proactively gave us His Life Eternal.

Yahuah’s Prescription for Facing Life’s Battles

Submit to Yahuah, resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to Yahuah and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded… Humble yourselves in the sight of Yahuah, and He will lift you up.  James 4:7, 10

 

Put on the whole armor of Yahuah that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  Ephesians 6:11

 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the shamayim (sky) places.  Ephesians 6:12

 

1. Stand with your loins girded with the TRUTH.
2. Put on the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
3. Put on SHOES for the preparation of the GOOD NEWS OF PEACE.
4. Above all, take the SHIELD OF TRUST (faith) to quench the darts of the wicked.
5. And receive the HELMET OF SALVATION.
6. And receive the SWORD OF THE RUACH, which is the WORD OF YAHUAH.  Ephesians 6:14-17
   

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

 

If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. John 15:20

 

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Ruach (power, presence and promise) of Yahuah shall lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19

 

For the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of Yahuah, and take every thought captive to obey the Messiah. 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5

 

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of LIGHT. Romans 13:11, 12

 

Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am you Alahim: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

 

We are honored in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience; and patience, experience, and experience, assurance. Romans 5:3, 4

 

Not by might, nor by [your] power, but by My Ruach (power, presence, and promise), says Yahuah of hosts. Zechariah 4:6

 

Yahuah is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows them that trust in Him. Nahum 1:7

 

Because they do not regard the works of Yahuah, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up. Barakah (blessed) be Yahuah, because He has heard the voice of my supplications!  Yahuah is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.  Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. YAHUAH is their strength, and He is the saving refuge of His Messiah. Save Your people, and barak (bless) Your inheritance. Shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.  Psalms 28:5-9

 

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of Yahuah, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Yahusha the Messiah.  2 Corinthians 10:3-6

 

For I am persuaded, that neither death, or life, nor divine messengers, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of Yahuah, which is in Yahusha the Messiah, our Master. Romans 8:38, 39

 

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  Romans 8:37

Downloadable Word of Truth PDF

Renouncing Demonic Strongholds

Nearly all of us struggle to some degree with the enemy’s strongholds. But our Eternal Father does not want us to continue to be ruled by them or to impose them upon anyone else. If you recognize that you are operating under the influence of a stronghold, renounce it in prayer, repent for what you’ve done, ask your Eternal Father’s forgiveness through the shed blood of Yahusha the Messiah and the forgiveness of others, and resist the return of the pit of that stronghold. Receive Yahuah’s power to forsake it, and ask Him to make you sensitive when you are tempted to act outside of His will. Move into freedom by asking your Eternal Father to fill you afresh with the power of His Kadosh (sacred) Ruach (Yahuah’s power, presence, and provision).

When you encounter a person influenced by a stronghold, let your first response be prayer. Ask Yahuah, the Eternal Father, for wisdom and love and for Him to set the person free. If the person has offended you, forgive him or her, and don’t let that person’s actions or attitudes hold a grip on you. Let your life be based on a genuine trust rooted in Yahusha, the Messiah’s life and example.

Most of all, continually become transformed by the renewing of your mind, as we are told to do in Romans 12:2. This is your best insurance against any spiritual influences that do not come from the Eternal Father. As you develop a strong relationship with Yahuah through the power of His Ruach (Yahuah’s power, presence, and provision), not only will you become empowered to bring His Eternal Kingdom to those around you, both in the home and at the workplace, but also you will be able to resist Satan’s assaults and sabotage over your daily life.

Application

(This portion is by Ed Silvoso, but with sacred names restored.)

Perhaps Yahuah has convicted you of double-mindedness. Now, you can see the stronghold in your life and want to tear it down. Let me encourage you not to give up. Persistence is the opposite of instability. I suggest that you determine what the will of Yahuah is and hammer away at your wall of arguments. If your children are not walking with the Eternal Father, confess Yahuah’s promises regarding your children. If your marriage is on the rocks, confess Yahuah’s Word regarding marriage. Use His words like a sledgehammer, and hit those situations repeatedly (see Matt: 4:4, 7, 10; Eph. 6:17). Never give up. Do it, day in and day out. Memorize pertinent Scripture and quote it out loud!

A friend of mine told a story that illustrates this point. He told how a friend who was remodeling his home hired a contractor to demolish a cement wall. He watched as the contractor hit the wall with a sledgehammer. One blow, two blows, three blows, nothing happened. Then 10 and 15 blows, and still nothing happened. He continued—30, 35 blows, and still nothing. Finally, on the 36th blow, the wall developed a horizontal crack. On the next one, a spider web pattern of cracks appeared. On the 38th blow, the wall cracked all over. At that point, the contractor put the sledgehammer down and picked up a small hammer and a chisel, and, little by little, he brought down the wall.

This is also how you must destroy the strongholds of the enemy. That formidable stronghold you are looking at may be made of solid granite. However, the Word of Yahuah is powerful (see Matt. 4:4,7,10; Eph. 6:17). The TORAH and TESTIMONY of the MESSIAH are the power of Yahuah. Isaiah 8:20 says, “To the TORAH and to the TESTIMONY if they speak not according to this WORD, there is not LIGHT in them.”  Also, 1 Corinthians 1:18 states, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of YAHUAH Alahim (God).” Choose His Word over the circumstances. Confess the Word of Yahuah. You apply a sledgehammer blow to that granite wall every time you do it. Keep doing it. Sooner or later, the first crack will appear. After that, it is only a matter of time before the whole thing crumbles. You can have complete confidence that this will occur.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Cor. 10:4).  Everything opposed to the will of Yahuah must come down. We must be set free, totally free, in Yahusha, the Messiah. Without that kind of freedom, our attacks on the forces of evil will never amount to anything more than a riot inside a POW camp.   Go for it!  (This Application portion by Ed Silvoso, with sacred names restored)

Prayer of Repentance to Renounce Strongholds

We must gain freedom by renouncing and repenting of the influence of each individual stronghold.

     Eternal Father Yahuah, I come before you in the name of your Son, Yahusha haMashiach (the Messiah). “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the shamayim (heaven), given among men, whereby I must be saved.” Acts 4:12.  I recognize the power You have provided me by virtue of the shed blood of Yahusha to demolish Satan’s strongholds in my life.

     I confess that I have given a foothold to Satan through the sin(s) of ____________ (list them). These sins have caused a breakdown in my relationships with You, my family, and my friends. These sins have caused my life to disintegrate into despair, loss of joy, depression, and confusion.

     I renounce the stronghold of ______________ by the authority of the name of Yahusha haMashiach (the Messiah) according to Your sacred Word. I take back through Your power that ground that I surrendered to the enemy. “For the word of Alahim is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

     I pray that You will fill me with trust-grounded obedience to Your Ruach (Yahuah’s power, presence, and provision). Help me “put on the whole armor of Yahuah, that I may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,” (Ephesians 6:11) and so that this area of my life may be brought into perfect conformity to the will and image of Yahusha the Messiah. HalleluYah! Praise Yahuah!

Download this Printable Prayer PDF

Additional outstanding links on Breaking Strongholds and Deliverance: 

• VIDEO: How to be delivered from Demonic Spirits ~ Derek Prince (Replace his use of Jesus Christ with Yahusha haMashiach.  Asking for deliverance in the only name under heaven whereby we must be saved.)
• Strongholds Defined – The Truth vs. the Lie
• Prayers that Heal the Heart
• Breaking the Power of Vicious Circles and Demonic Cycles
• Living Free Counseling